We had the most lovely weekend at Carlton Landing!
We stayed in such a charming house with giant porches with cozy swing beds and rocking chairs, a bunk room/game room for the kiddos, and the community garden and chicken coop right next door.
Carlton Landing is the cutest, intentional community. People live there full time, part time, and just come from time to time to get away. There’s a little school and everything! And it’s just 45 minutes from our farm.
Even though we’ve visited Carlton Landing before, I still pointed and gasped at the cuteness of it all. It’s just such a neat idea and y’all know I love the concept of living in community. We are not meant to do life alone!
Carlton Landing is on Lake Eufala, so there’s all sorts of lake activities to do, with boats and all that good stuff to rent. In the fall and winter there is still lots to do. Our favorite thing to do is just ride bikes and explore. There’s also little gathering spots all over the place with outdoor ping pong and activities that are meant to draw people together. It’s so nice to leisurely stroll and stop to play a game with strangers vs rushing everywhere all the time. The whole town basically forces you to slow down and connect.
Some of the chickens in the community coop looked just like ours! We brought them some treats.
On our first full day in town, we walked across the street from our house and grabbed breakfast from The Meeting House. It’s the charming-est little place! They host all sorts of things for the community, and you can pop in and grab coffee (or in our case one night — a bottle of wine to carry with us back to the house after the kiddos went down!)
Y’all, this was a waffle drenched in butter with bacon cooked into it. This place doesn’t mess around and eating this changed my life forever.
Some of the local kids showed us their INTENSE fort in the woods (one of the mamas told us that the kiddos sleep in the forts all the time — HOW CUTE IS THAT?) Their creativity was so awesome. All the kids were so friendly and immediately included our kiddos as if they’d been BFFs forever.
We walked to the food trucks (quaint little airstreams) for some hot chocolate. We ran into some teenagers who were using a piece of cardboard to “sled” down the big hill, and they kindly let my kiddos join them. So fun! Everyone we met, of all ages, was so kind.
Everyone always wants to know about our swagger wagon. It’s a Veer. We love it.
Can I be a kid and have people pull me around while I kick back with blueberries & hot chocolate, please?
Story and I were invited to a little wreath-making party at a fellow Young Living member’s house. We didn’t know anyone, but we said yes and headed over! We had a great time and made new friends, and Story made the funniest little bunny wreath which now hangs on her bedroom door at home.
She is so creative!
We did a lot of lounging and snuggling. We put together a 500 piece puzzle. We played checkers and Monopoly. It feels so good have no agenda! Sometimes quick getaways are all we need to reset and remember that it feels good to not be so busy all the time.
On our last night in town, we were invited to a Friendsgiving get together! We had each made friends over the last few days and were excited to see them! The kids ran around and climbed trees with their new buddies, and the adults had an awesome meal and chatted. It was a great time!
My kids were so sad to leave the next morning! We are already planning to head back soon, and especially again in the summer when we can go tubing on the lake.
I totally got the hookup for you guys if you want to go visit! You can head HERE and use the code MADISONVINING any time before March, and receive 20% off your stay! I am so grateful for them hooking y’all up! I know you’ll be so blessed by your time there.
Thank you for having us, Carlton Landing!! You have something truly special going on.
M